Air actuated chance device



Aug. 14, 1956 D. STARK 2,758,840

AIR ACTUATED CHANCE DEVICE Filed Feb. 11, 1955 Dan L Star/r I INVENTOR.

I I BY WW 3M United States Patent AIRA'CTUATED CHANCE DEVICE DonL. Stark, San Francisco, Calif.

ApplicationFebruary '11, 1953 Serial No. 336,318

3 'Claims. (Cl. 27'3141) Thisinvention relates in general to game apparatus, and more specifically to chance means.

The primary object of this invention is to provide game app,aratus ir1 theform of chance means which includes a spherical member having disposed therein spinner means for selective rotation, said spinner means being associablewith indicia disposed on the sphericalrnember so as to indicate :amove orthe like in the playing of the game.

.Another objectof thisinvention is to provide animproved game. apparatus which will indicate desiredmoves or the like-tobe taken in.the.playing of the game and .at the same timeisnovelin operation and attractive in appearance.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved game apparatus which is of a relatively simple construction and which may be quickly formed so as to be economically feasible.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved game apparatus including a transparent hollow member which has mounted therein a freely rotatable spinner which may include vanes of different colors, said spinner being rotated by the introduction of compressed air into said spherical member.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved base for a hollow spherical member having a spinner freely rotatable therein, said base being provided with means for introducing compressed air into the interior of the spherical member to facilitate rotation of the spinner.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the game apparatus which is the subject of this invention and shows the general construction of the same;

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 22 of Figure 1 and shows the specific relationship between the hollow spherical member, the spinner and a base for supporting the spherical member;

Figure 3 is a transverse horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3--3 of Figure 2 and shows the relationship of a second set of vanes relative to the interior of the hollow spherical member; and,

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view showing a modified form of supporting base of the spherical member, said supporting base including means for introducing compressed air into the interior of the spherical member.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated a game apparatus in the form of chance means 10. The chance means includes a hollow spherical member 12 which is formed of transparent 2,758,840 Patented Aug. V14:, 1956 material. The. hollow spherical member 12 is mounted on a suitable base 14 which supports the hollow spherical member relative to a supporting surface. Disposed within the hollow spherical member 12 and freely rotatable therein is a spinner which is referred to ingeneral by the reference numeral .16.

The particular spinner 16 illustrated in Figures 1 through 3, inclusive, of the drawingsincludes afirst pair of vanes 18 which are disposed at ,right angles to the axis of a secondpair ofvanes 20. Theinner ends of the vanes 18 and 20 intersect and are rigidly secured together. The free ends of the vanes are arcuate as is best il'lustnated in Figures 2 and 3 and conform to the contour of the inner surface of the spherical member 12. :It will be understood that thespinner v1,6 may include still another pair of vanes (not shown) which may int-ersectthe vanes .18 and 20 and being disposed normal to a .planepassing through the vanes ,18 and 2.0. The construction of additional pair of ,vaneswilLbe identical to the vanes18 ar d20.

In order that the spinner .16 may have rotary motion imparted there to,there is provided in the hollow spherical member 12 a plurality of apertures 22. By blowingrir otherwise introducing compressed air into theinterior of the -sphericalmember .12 through one. of the. apertures 22, thespinner ,16may berotated due to the reaction of the compressedair withrthe vanes 1 8. and 20there of.

J wi b adsrstsa ha thss ri mdaset n er-th spherical member 12 through one of the apertures 22 will exit through other of the apertures 22.

The surface of the spherical member 12 is divided into a plurality of playing areas which may be identified by numerals, letters of the alphabet or other indicia. The playing area-s may be of different sizes and shapes and referred to in general by reference numeral 24. The playing areas may be outlined by lines either inscribed on the surf-ace of the spherical member 12 or engraved therein.

The individual vanes 18 and 20 of the spinner 16 may be identified by colors or other suitable identification means. It is preferred that they be identified by colors inasmuch as the spinner 16, when rotating, will be extremely attractive if the vanes are of different colors. In the playing of a game, the spinner 16 is rotated in the manner described above with a preselected one of the vanes 18 and 20 stopping adjacent one of the playing areas 24. The indicia contained by the particular playing area may be utilized in the playing of games of different types.

Referring now to Figure 4 in particular, it will be seen that there is illustrated a modified form of chance means which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 26. The chance means 26 includes a spherical member 28 which is identical with the spherical member 12 and which has freely mounted therein for rotation, a spinner (not shown) identical to the spinner 16. The spherical member 28 is supported by a supporting base 30 having a spherical concavity 32 at the upper face thereof for the reception of the spherical member 28. The spherical member 28 is provided with an aperture 34 therein in alignment with a conduit 36 in the supporting base 30.

Carried by the supporting base 36 is an elongated tubular member 38 having one end thereof disposed within the conduit 36 and communicating with the interior of the spherical member 28 through the aperture 34. The tubular member 38 may be flexible and it is intended that the same be provided with a suitable mouth piece (not shown) at its free end. The mouth piece may be utilized for blowing air into the hollow member 28 to cause rotation of the spinner (not shown) associated therewith. It will be understood that the portions of the spherical member 28, not illustrated, will be provided with suitable apertures to permit the exit of air introduced into a spherical member through the aperture 34.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that applicant has devised an improved game apparatus which may be utilized as chance means and having many varied results and it will also be noted that the game apparatus is pleasing in appearance and extremely attractive when the same is in operation.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. Game apparatus comprising a hollow spherical member, a spinner freely rotatably mounted within said spherical member, said spherical member being provided with means facilitating imparting of rotary motion to said spinner, said spinner including a plurality of vanes disposed in angular relation and lying in intersecting planes, free ends of said vanes being arcuate and corresponding to the contour of an inner surface of said spherical memher.

2. Game apparatus comprising a hollow spherical memher, a spinner freely rotatably mounted within said spherical member, said spherical member being provided with means facilitating imparting of rotary motion to said spinner, said spinner including a plurality of vanes disposed in angular relation and lying in intersecting planes, free ends of said vanes being arcuate and corresponding to the contour of an inner surface of said spherical memher, said means including a plurality of apertures in said spherical member for the reception of compressed air for reaction with said vanes.

3. Game apparatus comprising a hollow spherical member, a spinner rotatably mounted within said spherical member, said spherical member being provided with means facilitating imparting of rotary motion to said spinner, said spinner including a plurality of vanes disposed in angular relation, free ends of said vanes being arcuate and corresponding to the contour of an inner surface of said spherical member, said means including a plurality of apertures in said spherical member for the reception of compressed air for reaction with said vanes, said spherical member being transparent and having indicia thereon, a preselected one of said vanes being selectively alignable with said indicia to indicate a step to be taken in the playing of a game.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 647,621 Turner Apr. 17, 1900 1,584,531 Hagan May 11, 1926 2,035,579 Wieker Mar. 21, 1936 2,041,466 Gertz May 19, 1936 2,262,891 Gortner Nov. 18, 1941 2,301,506 Bean Nov. 10, 1942 2,621,042 Stein et a1. Dec. 9, 1952 

